Thursday, January 17, 2013

Of Loving Films - 2012 :)

I have been thinking to write something on films for some time. I believe 2012 has been one of the best years for Hindi Cinema. I don't remember watching so many good films in one year. Films that went into uncharted territories which we would have never thought would work in the first place, films that made us think, films that shocked us, but above all films that touched our heart. The Hindi film industry is going through a fascinating phase and I cannot get enough of it. It is simply too hard for me to pick favorites but will give it a shot.

Aiyyaa - I don't know whether I have laughed that much during any other film this year. A lot of people didn't get Aiyyaa but I think it is a fabulously wacky film. The characters are a treat to watch - the Lady Gaga inspired Mynah, a father who smokes four cigarettes at once, a blind wheelchair-ridden grandmother, the Alice in Wonderland Meenakshi, Aiyyaa was simply brilliant and ventured into new spaces. It was very unusual to see that a hero, Prithviraj, played a role that required his body to be treated as an object of desire. As Beth says in her blog that it is perhaps one of the best Hindi films this year, I completely agree. Aiyyaa deserves one whole post and will try to write soon.

Vicky Donor - another film that made me laugh out loud. Who can forget the scene where Biji and Dolly Aunty have a drink every night! Or their wedding sequence which would leave anyone in splits!

Performances of the Year:

Sridevi in English Vinglish - hands down!

Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor in Barfi

Deepika Padukone in Cocktail - most surprising that is why love it even more

Parineeti Chopra in Ishaqzaade

Vidya Balan in Kahaani

Dolly Ahluwalia and Anu Kapoor in Vicky Donor

Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Kahaani and Talaash and Gangs of Wasseypur - star of the year!

Parambrata Chatterjee in Kahaani - what a performance - terrific

Rani Mukherjee in Aiyyaa - return of the queen

Aamir Khan in Talaash

Kareena Kapoor in Talaash (and Heroine)

Anushka Sharma in Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Imran Khan in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tuu - perhaps more a love for the character

Emraan Hashmi in Shanghai

Manoj Vajpayee and Richa Chadda in Gangs of Wasseypur

Paresh Rawal - Oh My God

Song(s) of the Year:

Pareshaan - Ishaqzaade - first on my playlist

Heer - Jab Tak Hai Jaan - beautiful lyrics

Aashiyaan - Barfi

Jugni - Cocktail

Pani Da Rang - Vicky Donor

Muskaanein Jhooti Hai - Talaash

Best Music

I think Cocktail and Ishaqzaade

Hauntingly Sad and Beautiful Film:

Talaash - Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar - lovely story - as critics called it an excellent study of grief! Wrote something on it.. will post it soon..

Film that furiously divided everyone:Cocktail

Favorite Mature in Love Character of the Year:

Rianna - Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu

Akira - Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Laurent - English Vinglish

Favorite Mature in Life Character of the Year:

Shruti's Mom - Barfi

Biji - Vicky Donor

Radha - English Vinglish

Charming Character of the Year:

Barfi - Barfi - the scene where he turns back time at the clock :)
Meenakshi - Aiyyaa

Favorite Character of the Year:

Rahul - Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu - love him absolutely, more so because of the similar instances with my own life..a brilliant film that got lost in the din of the biggies..

Shashi - English Vinglish - Shashi has been severely criticized for being a bad parent - she doesn't scold back her kids and silently takes insults of her husband - I agree.. but maybe she suffered from a lack of confidence in her abilities..the happiness she got when her teacher called her entrepreneur showed thatshe needed to be told she was a great lady.. and how in the end, she thanked Laurent for making her fall in love with herself again. Eventually she comes out as a more confident person walking with her head held high. That is why I loved her.

It is no surprise that both of my favorite characters of the year suffered from a lack of confidence in their ability, we love those characters in whom we see a reflection of ourselves and maybe that is why I loved both of them so dearly and defend them inspite of their flaws, because I too am like them in some ways.

Films that I hear some good things about but yet to see them:

London Paris New York, Agent Vinod (ya I hear good things about it, people just love to criticize any new attempt), and Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana

I hope 2013 is going to give us some more films that make us think, make us introspect, and make us learn something new.

So what are you favorite films, characters, songs of 2012? Would love to know.. there is no right or wrong answer and we don't judge anyone here :)

4 comments:

I absolutely love this post!! Great job done :) :) You've named all my favorite films of 2012, and your comments about them echo my thoughts.

Even I liked Deepika's performance in Cocktail. It was very powerful and very surprising! Shashi and Rahul's characters are very realistic and well portrayed.

Also, the theme of one-sided love has been very well shown in movies like Cocktail, English Vinglish, Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, where it says that it's OK if your love is not returned by someone. It is Not the end of the world and you can still be friends :)

Haven't seen Aiyya and GOW yet, but this post makes me want to watch them. Will do so pretty soon

Thanks.. We haven't discussed any film in detail this year :( We have always liked the same films :)

This one side love theme is everywhere - Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Aiyaa.. guess that will always be there. I was also surprised by the criticism Oh My God received. It is one of the most relevant films of our time. Every Indian should see it!!

I loved Aiyaa. It is very different. Some critics gave such a trashy review calling it the worst film of the year. But I really really liked it.

And of course, we don't discuss movies like Dabbang 2, Houseful, Bol Bachchan because I can never like them. Aiyaa is freely avaialble on YouTube - and a good print :) Let me know you liked it or not :)